An ellipsoid is an elliptical rotational solid that is generated through rotation of an ellipse about an axis of rotation, especially about one of the semimajor axes of the ellipse, and is characterized by two focal distances. An “ellipsoidal mirror” as used herein means a mirror whose mirror surface has an ellipsoidal segment.
A paraboloid is a parabolic rotational solid that is generated through rotation of a parabola about an axis of rotation, especially about the symmetry axis of the parabola, and is characterized by a focal distance. A “paraboloidal mirror” as used herein means a mirror whose mirror surface has a paraboloidal segment.
Laser processing machines with scanner systems, which are used, for example, for remote welding, can have movable optics in front of a deflecting mirrors (e.g., scanner mirrors), through which the focal position of the laser beam can be varied. Because the laser beam is simultaneously widened to obtain a small focal diameter, for low laser powers, movable telescopes with transmitting optics are used, and for higher powers, movable telescopic systems with an ellipsoidal mirror and a paraboloidal mirror are used, which are usually designed as metal optics.
In the two mirror telescopic system, the orientation of the two mirrors with respect to each other has proven to be problematic in the design of such a telescopic system. Five adjusting axes are required to adjust the two mirrors. In addition to the large adjustment expense, the design of the telescopic system is moreover aggravated in that, at present there are no known suitable measuring methods and instruments to permit precise adjustment of the mirrors relative to each other.